Machine for covering eyeglass-cases.



L. E. BROWN.

MACHINE FOR COVERING EYEGLASS GASES,

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31. 1913.

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r145 VLnRIS PETERS c0 PHOTO-LITHO \VAsHINGmN. D c

L. E. BROWN.

MACHINE FOR COVERING BYEGLASS GASES.

APPLIGATION FILED DEC. 31. 1913. 1,130,790. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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[HE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHQ. WASNING ION D. r

L. E. BROWN.

MACHINE FOR COVERING EYEGLASS CASES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31-. 1913.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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L. 5. BROWN. MACHINE FOR COVERING BYLEGLASSv GASES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 31. 1913. 1,1 30,790. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

LOUIS E. BROWN, 01? ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO FARRINGTON MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

MACHINE FOR COVERING EYEGLASS-CASZTS Application filed December 31, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, LOUIS E. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roxbury, county of Sufiolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Covering Eyeglass-Cases, of which the following description, in connec tion with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in machines for aflixing covering material such as leather, textile material and materials of a similar character to metal shells more particularly to the boxes of eye-glass cases.

an improved machine of this character which will automatically shape the cover to fit smoothly and snugly over the metal shell and affix the covering material securely to the shell throughout its whole extent.

The .Il."lli.i0fl provides a machine whereby the covers are held under tension and drawn tightly over the box, the edges being folded inwardly and secured to the top and inside of the case. I

In acoorr lance with my invention I provide cooperating dies between whichthe box and the cover are pressed together, auxiliary devices serving to hold the cover under tension and to fold its edges over theedges of the box. I prefer to use covering material to which a fusible cement such as rubber has been previously applied and for the purpose of softening this cement prefer to provide means for heating one of the dies.

Referring to the drawings in which I have illustrated a machine for covering eye-glass cases constructedin accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the machine; Fig. is aside elevation; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; Fig. i is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan viewof the lower die and allied parts; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66, Fig. 3; with the cover plates removed; Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the tensioning jaws; Fig. 8 is a detail view partly in section of one of the cams for operating the wipers. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan of the'tensioning jaw and Specification of Letters latent.

The object of the invention is to provide Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Serial No. 809,802.

Fig. 10 isa view showing the shape of the blank cover to be applied to the eye-glass If case.

. Referring to the drawings in detail, the machine illustrated comprises a supporting frame, upper and lower dies and means for movmg one of the dies to cooperate with the other. The supporting frame indicated at 1 cons1sts of a base 2 to receive the lower die and an upright portion having ways 3 in which a vertically movable head .L is mounted. This frame may conveniently be bolted to a bench or other support. A plate 5 secured to the lower end of the head provides convenient meansfor the attachment of a mam plunger 6 and auxiliary plungers 7, 8, 9 and 10 which form the upper die. The main plunger 6 is secured to the head by means of two bolts 11 and 12 which extend through the plate 5 permitting a limited vertical movement of the plunger. Springs 13 mounted in recesses 14 in the head press downwardly on the heads of the bolts 11 and 12 thereby urging the plunger downwardly.

The plunger is provided at its back with a projection 15 adapted to fit under the lip of the eye-glass case and is sufficiently wide from front to back to fit somewhat tightly in the case so that the case when placed upon the plunger will be retained thereon.

The main plunger is recessed to fit around the hinges and the spring of the box as indicated generally at 16 it being of advantage that the plunger should be made to extend close to the rear edge of the case at such points as it may without interfering with the hinge or spring, etc. Hardened steel,

pins 17 are secured in the plunger near its four corners and act as stops to accurately determine its limiting position. This expes dient insures the correct positioning of the yieldable plunger relative to the others when the plungers are in lowest position and prevents the yieldable plunger from extending too far down when dirt or soot collect between the plunger and the head plate 5.

The auxiliary plungers 7 and 8 are pivoted to the plate 5 on opposite sides of the main plunger as indicated at 18 and 19 respectively. Each pivoted plunger is yieldably pressed toward the main plunger by a spring 20 mounted in a recess 21 in the plate,

and engaging a shoulder 22 on the plunger.

Mechanism is provided for moving each of these auxiliary plungers outwardly upon descent of the head when-near its extreme lowermost POSltlOII. This mechanism-1n each casecomprises a pin 23 and a pin 24. The

. with a cam surface 26 which engages the pin. 23 is secured inthe" head plate and operates in a recess in the .main plunger. The pin 24 is slotted as indicatedat 25 and the reduced end of the, pin 23 extendsdowm wardly'throughithi's slot being provided pin 24 at the end of the slot 25.. The downward movement of the pin relative'to the main plunger thus operates to move the p1voted plungers outwardly at the end of their downward movement. By this construction one machinemay be used to apply covering materials of different thicknesses to the same type of case, thus making it'unnecessary to provide separate sets of dies for the dif ferent materials used. The auxiliary plungers 9 and 10 are rigidly connectedto the head plate 5 as by screws at 27. These plungers are shorter than the main plunger or the pivoted plungersand areadapted to the'top of the lip of the box.

press an infolded edgefdownwardly upon Thelower die comprises a bed plate 28,

face plates 29 and 301 and a yieldable die face or work support 31. The bed plate 28 is secured to the base 2'and has a central recess of substantially theshape and size of a box of an eye glass case. The die face 31 consists of a block fitted in the recess having its upper surface shaped to fit the I outside of the box and is pressed upwardly by a spring .32 connected thereto by means of a plate 33 and pins 34. A block35 of proper thickness serves as a stop to limit the uppermost position of the plate and therefore of the die face. This spring is mounted 'on a bolt 36 in the base and its tension may be adjusted by means of a nut '37. The face plates 29fand 3O are secured to the bed plate at opposite. sides of the machine and arecurved at their inner edges 7 to conform to the shape of the yieldable'die face as indicated at 38 These plates .are recessed as indicated at 39 and 40 to avoid interference with the edges of the hinged cover of 'theeye-glass case when the plum ger descends. The forward wipers are also correspondlngly recessed at these points.

The parts are so proportioned that v.the die face when in elevated position is nearthe top of the face plates so as to present'a substantially even surface to receive the cover ing material. j I

The covers 41 are of'the shape shown in Fig. 10., the portions42, 43 and 44 being adapted to cover the box, cover and lip respectively. of the eye-glass case. The edge portions45. are adapted to fold into the box and the edge portions 46 are adapted to fold over onto the top of the lip and be secured thereto the'edge portions 45 and46 being.

separated by notches as indicated at 47.

Stops 48 and 49 secured to thecover plates serve as guides to assist in accurately positioning the covers, projections 50and 51 en gaging the notches 47.

c When the cover is in position on the bed plate and die face and the metal shell is in position on the yieldable plunger, theihead is depressed moving the box downwardly into the lower die thus pressing the covering material and case together. The springs 13 exert a greater pressure on the yieldable plunger than the springv 32 exertsupon the die face, wherefore, the die face 31 yields and the shell is moved downwardly into the bed plateythe inner edges of the face material upwardly around the ends of the case and the straight edges of the bed plate forming similar bending edges to fold' the plates providing bending edges to fold the covering material upwardly at the front and r back of the box.

Tensioning jaws 52 and 53 are adapted to hold the edges of the covering 1 material against the face plates thus holding the material under tension. These tensioning jaws may besupported in any, convenient way preferably being automatically retracted when the plungeris in its uppermost or inoperativeposition. The teethfl54 of these jaws present extended edges which lie in the direction in which the covering mate-, rial will move as it is drawn downwardly by thedies. In the construction shown, these aws are pivoted to sl des 55 and 56 mounted in ways 57 and 58 respectivel A spring 59 is mounted in a recess in each slide and engages the jaw below its pivot thus tending to hold it in elevated position.

Each slide is retracted from its operative position by a spring 60 secured at one end to a bracket Gland at the other end'to the slide. Theefiect of these two springs "is to hold the jaw normally elevated and retracted, thus leaving the top of the die clear to receive the covering material. I

Cams 62 and 63 are secured at the "sides of the head plate 5 and are adaptedto engage the slide thereby moving the slide and jaw forwardly to operative position upon; descent of the head. Spring-pressedplungers' 1 64 and 65 are mounted in the head plate and are adapted to'engage the jaw as indicated lac in advance of the auxiliary plungers. The movement of the wipers is limitedby pins 71 secured in the bed plate and projecting into recesses in the wipers. These wipers are preferably so operated that they will bend the covering material inwardly" close above the edges of-the box, thus forming a fold so that the material will not fly upwardly and thus be missed by the auxiliary plungers when the wipers are withdrawn. The wipers accordingly may be positioned just above the topof the box when the box is in its lowest position or thewipers may be placed above this point and the cams arranged to operate the wipers just as the box moves past the wipers. Each wiper is moved forwardly by a pivoted cam 72 carried by a pin 73 secured in the head plate 5 and retracted by a spring 74. These cams are normally held in operative position by springs 75 but upon upward movement through the wipers swing backwardly into their slots in the pins thereby becoming inoperative. These wipers are preferably positioned one for each corner of the case and one for the center of each end and are arranged so that when pushed inwardly they will form a substantially, continuous curve parallel to but slightly inside the curve of the end of the box.

As a convenient means for operating the vertically movable head I provide a toggle mechanism comprising the toggle links 76 and 77, an operating lever 78 and a link 79 connectingthe lever to the frame. The upper link 7 6 is pivotally connected to a block 80 adjustably mounted on the frame and 1 the lower link 77 is connected to the vertically movable head. The links are pivoted together and to the operating lever asin dicated at 81. The operating lever is also pivotally connected to the link 79 which is pivoted to the frame at 82. When the head is in elevated position the toggle mechanism is broken and the lever is in elevated position. Upon downward movement of the handle the rear end of the lever is moved inwardly thus straightening the toggle links and forcing the head downwardly. I prefer to provide springs 83 connected to the head and to the frame to counterbalance the weight of the head. The

adjustment of the block 80 to which the upper link is connected is controlled by a bar 84 adjustably mounted on bolts 85 and 86 secured in the frame, nuts being provided on both sides of the bar to hold it in adjusted position. By this means the lowermost positionof the head and therefore of the plungers constituting the upper die may be accurately adjusted to give the necessary pres sure upon the covering material and eyeglass case.

I prefer to provide means for heating one of the dies in order that afusible cement may be used, the cement being previously applied to either the case or the'covering material. In the construction shown I have provided a pipe 87 secured to the main plunger by a bracket 88 and having perforations to provide flames which may be directed the covering material is placed upon the lower die being accurately positioned by the engagement of the notches 47 of the covering material with the projections 50 and 51 of the stops 48 and 49. The eye-glass case is placed upon the main plunger, the lip of the box being hooked over the projection 15 of the main plunger. The box fits fairly tightly upon the plunger and its stiffness is suflicient to hold it in position thereon. The handle of the operating lever 78 is then depressed forcing the head downwardly. The main plunger first moves downwardly until the box presses against the covering material and the die face forcing the same downwardly into the bed plate. The inner edges of the cover plates and the adjacent front and back edges of the bed plate engage the covering material and fold it upwardly around the box; When the dieface reaches its lowermost position or just previous to this, the wipers are moved inwardly bv their respective cams folding the upturned edges of the covering material inwardly over the ends of the case. The cams pass the wipers and the wipers are retracted by their springs just previous to the engagement of the auxiliary plungers with the inturned edges of the cover and the auxiliary plungers continuing their downward movement fold the covering materialdownwardly onto the top of the lip and against the inside ofthe box pressing it firmly in position. The heat of the plungers now softens the cement and causes the covering material to adhere firmly to the box. The handle is then raised and the case removed from the machine. I

I haveillustrated a machine for covering eye-glass cases but it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the principles of my invention are equally applicable to various other machines for applying covering ma terial to metal shells or to forms of other types. It will also be obvious that various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The terms, vertically, upwardly,

downwardly and similar termsare used in the claims to indicate the. relative positions of the parts. It will be understood however that these terms are merely used asa conven1e11t manner of expressing relative position and the claimsare'not to be understood aslimited by these terms. 7

qI-Iaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a machine for applying covering materialto'a form, a pair of dies to shape the covering material to the form, operating means to cause relative movement be-. tween the dies, a tension member normally held in inoperativeposition adaptedto engage the edge of the covering material and hold it under tension during the operation of the dies and meanscooperat'ing with said' operating means to bring into operation the tenslon member upon operation of the d es. 2. In a machine for applying-covering "material to a form, relatively movable dies adapted to receivea form, and covering mal terial therefor and to shape the. covering material to the form and a jaw having teeth 1 engaging the covering material adjacent the dies and each tooth presenting an extended bearing edge'extending toward the dies in the direction of-movement of the covering yinaterial during'the operation of the dies.

3. In a machine for applying covering material to a form, a plunger, a. member having a recess adapted to receive the form and cover presenting an edge adapted to turn the edge of the covering material up wardly around the form as the form and terial to a form, in combination, a yieldably-supported member, a member closely embracing said yieldably-supported member for a portion ofits periphery and'presenting a turningedge adjacent said yieldably supported member, a vertically" movable plunger adapted tov press the formv and yieldably supporting member downwardly relativeto the embracing member whereby t'he'turni'ng edge will fold the edge of the coveringmaterial upwardly, and jaws operable= upon the descent of the plunger to,

yieldably engage the edges of the covering material where it extends beyond the edges ofthe form to hold said covering material under tension. .7 r

5. In a machine for affixing covering ma-v terial to an article, in'combination, a yieldably-supported member for receiving the coveringmaterialand the article to be cov-' ered, a member closely embracing said yieldably supported member for a portion of its periphery and presenting a turning edge adjacent' said yieldably-supported member, a vertically movable plunger adapted to press the yieldably-supported member and article downwardly, whereby the turning edge will fold the edge of'the covering material upwardly, pivoted jaws positioned to engage the covering material where it extends be yond the edges of thearticle, spring-pressed plungers movable with said vertically movable plunger and arranged to engage said pivoted jaw upon the descent of the plunger to force the jaws into engagement with the covering material whereby the covering material is held in tension asit is drawn over the turning edge and downwardly with the yieldably-supported member and article to be covered. 7 I

material to a metal shell, in combination, a bed plate having. a central recess, a workreceiving member yleldably supported 1n 6. In a machine for applying covering. 7

therecess of said bed plate, a main plunger arranged to press'the metal shell, covering material and yieldable member downwardly into the bed plate whereby the covering material will be drawninto the recess and folded upwardly around the shell, a slide mounted onsaid bed plate and movable toward the recess therein, a jaw pivoted to said slide and adapted to engage the edge of 1 the covering material I and clampit eg nstthe bed plate thereby holding it-under, tension during the descent of the j plunger and means to operate thefmain plunger, and to automatically move the slide forwardly toward" the recessand the jaw downwardly to engage the covering mate- 7. In a 'machine for applying covering material to a metal shell, in combination, a bed plate havlng a central recess, a workreceiving member yieldably supported in the recess of said'bed plate, a main plunger;

arranged to press the metal shell, covering materialand yieldable member downwardly into the bed plate whereby the covering material will be drawn into the ,recess'and .i'olded upwardly around the shell, a slide mounted on said'bed plate and movable to ward the recess thereln, a jaw pivoted to said slide and adapted to engage the edge of the covering material and clamp it against the bed plate thereby holding it under tension during the descent of the plunger, a cam movable with the main plunger and arranged to engage said slide 7 to moveit toward the recess upon the descent of the main plunger, a spring-pressed plunger movable with the mainplunger and arranged to engage the jaw and press it downwardly against the covering material in advance of the main plunger and means to operate the main plunger.

8. In a covering machine of the character described, in combination, a yieldably-supported member, a member closely embracing said yieldably-supported member for a portion of its periphery, a main plunger adapted to press the article and the yieldablysupported member downwardly relative to said embracing member whereby the embracing member will fold the edges of the cover upwardly, means for folding the upturned edges inwardly, auxiliary plungers vertically and laterally movable, arranged to engage the inturned edges of the cover and press them against the inner surface of the article 'to be covered and means for successively operating the main plunger the folding means and the auxiliary plungers.

9. In a machine for covering eye-glass cases, in combination, a die comprising a member having a recess adapted to receive an eye glass case and present bending edges adapted to fold the edges of the covering material upwardly around the eyeglass case, a plunger adapted to force the eyeglass case into said recess, wipers movable inwardly over the edge of the case to fold the inturned edges of the folding material" inwardly, auxiliary plungers adapted to engage the inturned edges and press the same downwardly upon the inside of the case, means to automatically and successively 0pcrate the main plunger, wipers and auxiliary plungers. i

10. In a machine for covering eye-glass cases, in combination, a pair of cooperating dies, one of said dies comprising a recessed member presenting edges adapted to fold the covering material around the edges of the box, the other of said dies comprising a yieldable main plunger adapted to engage the inside of the eye-glass caseand press the case into the recessed member, of the firstmentioned die, a pair of auxiliary plungers movable laterally relative to said main plunger and adapted to engage the inturned edges of the covering material and press the same against the inside of the case and a second pair of auxiliary plungers adapted to engage the inturned edges of the covering material and press the same upon the lip of the box and means for moving one die toward the other. i

11. In a machine for affixing covering material to metal articles, a member having a recess with the walls thereof shaped to conform to the exterior of the article and presenting a folding edge around said recess, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the 7 comprising a plunger, operating means to cause said plunger to enter said recess and press the article and subjacent covering material into the recess to cause the edges of the material to be folded around the article by the folding edge and left upstanding between the article and the surrounding wall of the recess, a series of wipers movable inwardly to fold the edges of the material inwardly over the edge of the article, and means coiiperating With said operating means automatically to operate the wipers after the plungers enter said recess.

12. In a machine for covering eye-glass cases, in combination, a die comprising a yieldable die face and a member closely surrounding said yieldable die face and presenting bending edges adapted to fold the covering material around the edges of the eye-glass case, a plurality of wipers mounted on said surrounding member including one wiper at each corner of the case adapted to fold the edges of the material inwardly over the edge of theeye-glass case, means for pressing the eye-glass case against the yieldable die face and means for automatically operatingthe wipers. V

.18. Ina machine for covering eye-glass cases a die comprising a yieldable die face and a member surrounding said yieldable die face and presenting bending edges adapted to fold the covering material around the edge of the eye-glass case, a plunger mechanism adapted to press the eye glass cases against the yieldable die face, a plurality of wipers mounted on said surrounding member adapted to turn the folded edges of the covering material inwardly over the edge of the eye-glass case, and means carried by the plunger mechanism adapted to automatically operate the wipers.

14. In a machine for covering eye-glass cases, in combination, a die comprising a central die face, a member surrounding said die face, one of said parts being movable relative to the other, a complementary die main plunger and auxiliary plungers movable laterally relative to the main plunger, the main plunger being operable in advance of the auxiliary plungers, means for heating one of the dies and means for moving one of the dies to cooperate with the other.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS E. BROWN.

Witnesses:

HARRY J. FARRINGTON, M. E. J ONES.

Commissioner of Patents.

I Washington, D. (3. 

